在过去五年里，保护界一直在努力维护和保护联邦颁布的效率标准。那些试图废除这些标准的人依靠的是自由意志主义的口号和用水浪费、客户不满和不便的轶事证据。为了反驳这些指责，环保人士依靠了几项研究，这些研究记录了超低冲水（ULF）马桶、低流量（LF）淋浴头和水龙头以及高效洗衣机的影响。但直到最近，还没有专门设计研究来衡量这些产品的实际节水和客户满意度。美国环境保护局（U.S.Environmental Protection Agency）与东湾市政水公用事业区（East Bay Citial Water Utility District）、西雅图公用事业公司（Seattle Public Utilities）和坦帕水务公司（Tampa Water）共同赞助了一系列三项住宅改造研究，以评估住宅环境中现有固定装置和新型高效固定装置的性能。 本文介绍了加利福尼亚州奥克兰市东湾市政供水设施区（EBMUD）35户单户住宅的大规模住宅改造结果。Aquacraft，Inc.在2001年至2002年期间进行的EBMUD住宅节水研究，对35个不同的家庭进行了研究，首先测量了这些家庭在当前条件下的用水情况，标准的管道装置和器具仍然存在。参与者还对现有固定装置和电器的性能进行了评分。使用Aquacraft的流量追踪分析技术和历史账单数据，从每户家庭获得基线用水数据。接下来，每户人家都用新的电器和固定装置进行了全面改造，包括最新一代的ULF马桶、高效洗衣机（前装和顶装）、LF淋浴头和水龙头。改造后的用水数据在改造后不久获得，六个月后再次获得。 本文介绍了第一次改装后数据收集工作的结果。在使用这些改装装置和电器六个月后，参与者将使用与旧设备完全相同的方式对自己的表现进行评分。EBMUD住宅节水研究的结果直接测量了每个品牌和型号的马桶和洗衣机的影响，以及可与旧设备进行比较的满意度评分。EBMUD研究的结果与华盛顿州西雅图37个家庭样本的类似结果进行了比较。第二，研究泥浆对住宅环境的影响，以寻求高效率的住宅环境。这些研究将提供有关ULF马桶、高效洗衣机、LF淋浴头和LF水龙头曝气器的用水情况以及客户对产品满意度的最佳可用信息。 这些研究应该在很大程度上回应那些试图废除联邦效率标准的人的指控。包括表格、数字。

For the past five years the conservation community has fought to preserve and protect federally enacted efficiency standards. Those seeking to repeal these standards have relied upon libertarian slogans and anecdotal evidence of water wastage, customer dissatisfaction, and inconvenience. To counter these charges conservationists have relied upon several studies that have documented the impact of ultra-low-flush (ULF) toilets, low-flow (LF) showerheads and faucets, and high efficiency clothes washers. But until recently no studies were designed specifically to measure actual water savings and customer satisfaction with these products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with the East Bay Municipal Water Utility District, Seattle Public Utilities, and Tampa Water has sponsored a series of three residential retrofit studies that evaluate the performance of existing fixtures and new high efficiency fixtures in the residential setting. This paper presents the results of the extensive residential retrofit of 35 single-family homes in the East Bay Municipal Water Utility District (EBMUD), based in Oakland, California. The EBMUD Residential Water Conservation Study, conducted by Aquacraft, Inc. during 2001- 2002, took a diverse group of 35 homes and first measured the water use in these homes under current conditions, with standard plumbing fixtures and appliances still in place. The participants also rated the performance of their existing fixtures and appliances. Baseline water use data was obtained from each household using Aquacraft's flow trace analysis technology and historic billing data. Next, each home was completely retrofit with new appliances and fixtures including the latest generation of ULF toilets, high efficiency clothes washers (both front and top loading), LF showerheads and faucets. Post-retrofit water use data were obtained shortly after the retrofit and again six months later. Results from the first post-retrofit data collection effort are presented here. After living with these retrofit fixtures and appliances for six months the participants will rate their performance using exactly as they did their old equipment. The results of the EBMUD Residential Water Conservation Study provide direct measurements of the impact of each make and model of toilet and clothes washer along with satisfaction ratings that can be compared against old equipment. The findings from the EBMUD study were compared against similar results obtained from a sample of 37 homes in Seattle, Washington. The EBMUD Residential Water Conservation Study is the second of three important research efforts that seek to measure to impacts of high efficiency fixtures in actual residential settings. These studies will provide the best available information on the water use of ULF toilets, high efficiency clothes washers, LF showerheads, and LF faucet aerators and customer satisfaction with the products. These studies should go a long way in answering the charges of those seeking to repeal federal efficiency standards. Includes tables, figures.